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3 SheetsSheet 1.

(No Model.)

W. H. TOWNSEND. OIL GLOTH PRINTING MACHINE.

No. 443,306. Patented Dec. 23, 1890.

VENTOH' ATTOHN S WITNESSES: x .4. i 9% (No Model.) 3 Sheets-SheetQ.

' W. H. TOWNSEND.

OIL CLOTH PRINTING MACHINE.

No. 443,306. Patented Dec. 23, 1890.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 43.

W. H. TOWN SEND. OIL CLOTH PRINTING MACHINE.

No. 443,306. Patented Dec. 23, 18-90.

WITNESSES: mum/r05.-

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UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

\VISNER H. TOlVNSEND, OF NElV YORK, N; Y.

OIL-CLOTH-PRINTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 443,306, dated December 23, 1890.

Application filed July 5 1890.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, VVISNER H. TOWN SEND, of the city, county, and State of New York, a citizen of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oil- Cloth-Printing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in machines for printing oil-cloth, and more especially to certain improvements on the oil-cloth-printing machine patented by Charles Rommel, No.137,962, and dated April 17, 1873, whereby the parts of the machine are operated in a more eifective and reliable manner, and thereby the printing of the oilcloth rendered more uniform and exact.

The invention consists of an oil-cloth-printing nachine which comprises a verticallyreciprocating and intermittently-rotating printing-roller having a number of printingblocks, a spider-frame having radial arms slotted at their outer ends, coloring-rollers supported in said slotted arms, color-tanks suspended from shafts of the coloring-rollers, and transmitting gear-wheels by which a continuous rotary motion is imparted from the driving-shaft to the spider-frame.

The invention consists, further, in certain details of construction, which will be fully described hereinafter, and finally pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my improved oil-cloth-printing machine. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same on the line 3 3, Fig. 3. Fig. 2 is a detail vertical section of one of the printing-blocks, shown detached from the printing-roller; and Fig. Sis a plan, partly in section, on the line 1 1, Fig. 1, showing the arrangement of the stationary printingbed, the feeding devices, and the intermittentlyactuated clamping devices for the cloth to be printed.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to thedrawings, A represents the supporting-frame of my improved oil-clothprinting machine. The frame A is built of wood or other suitable material and of a sufficient size and strength to support different parts of the machine.

B is the printing-roller, which is constructed Serial No. 357,784- (No model.)

bearings at the top of the supporting-frame A, the shaft 11* of the printing-roller being suspended by rods 1) and straps from said eccentrics and guided in this motion by fixed vertical guide-pieces N, which are attached to the sides of the supporting-frame A. The weight of the printing-roller B is balanced so as to permit the easy up'and-down motion of the same by means of vertically-guided hanger-frames f, which are suspended from wire or other cords f, that are passed over guidepulleys f at the top part of the frame A and attached to the upper arm of bell-crank levers f which are pivoted to the upper corners of the supporting-frame A. To the lower arms of the bell-crank levers f are applied pivotrods f which are extended below the floor and weighted at the lower ends sufficiently so as to counterbalance the printing-roller B in connection with strong band-springs f attached to the upper ends of the hangerframes, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The printing-blocks B are attached to the printing-roller B by means of longitudinal dovetailed grooves 11 in their rear sides, said grooves being preferably lined with sheet metal, as shown in Fig. 2, so as to permit the ready removal and replacing of the printingblocks from the dovetailed tongues b on the sides of the printing-roller B. The shafts of the coloring-rollers O are supported in slots at the outer ends of radial arms of a continuously-rotating spider-frame D, which receives its motion from the main staft S,byintermediate transmitting-shafts S S which are supported in bearings at the top part of the frame A and by suitable bevel'wheels on the main shaft S and intermediate shafts S S as shown in Fig. 2.- To both ends of the shaft S are applied pinions p, which mesh with intermediate gear-wheels 1), that are also placed in mesh with two larger gear-wheels p at the outer circumference of the spider-frame l). The shaft a of the spiderframe 1) turns in suitable bearings u" of the frame A.

From the shafts of the coloring-rollers (f are suspended color-fountains (3, by which the required color is applied to the rollers and from the same to the printingblocks ll. The shafts of the coloring-rollers are extended beyond the slotted arms of the spider-frame D and guided along fixed segments I, after the rollers have passed over the printing-blocks 13, so as to be retained at the outer ends of the slots of the spider-frame. The coloring-rollers at the lower part of the spider-frame D and their color-fountains U are supported by their own weight at the outer ends of the slotted arms, the shafts leaving the segments 7 when the rollers are at the lower part of the spider-frame. The portions of the segments I which are next adjacent to the printing roller are made straight, so that the shafts of the printingrollers move along the same and carry the coloring-rollers C evenly over the blocks of the printing-roller l Additional straight guide-pieces m are arranged alongside of the straight ends of the segments Z and pressed by means of spiral springs m against the ends of the shafts of the rollers 0, so that; thereby a certain resistance is given to the action of the rollers in passing over the printing-blocks. The coloring-rollers U adapt themselves thereby to the different patterns on the face of the blocks. The slots in the ends of the arms of the spider-frame and the springs in" permit the adjustment of and impart the required flexibility to the rollers C. Mutilated pinions or gear-wheels r are arranged at both ends of the shafts of the coloringrollers O and placed in mesh with the racks r at both ends of the printing-blocks l3 whenever the coloring-rollers pass over said blocks for the pur pose of guiding the rollers overthe same and distributing the color evenly over the blocks. Downwardly-proj ectin g lugs r' are arranged at both ends of the color-fountains L" and at the side which is adjacent to the printingblocks 13, said lugs serving to move along smooth ledges 2"" at the ends of the printingblocks, so as to prevent the upsetting or tilting of the color-fountains C. The color is adjusted on the coloring-rollers C in the usual manner by means of blades or doctors arranged alongside of the same.

The color-fountains C may be dividedinto two or more parts by transverse partitions, so as to allow thereby a number of colors to be used on one block. The gearwheels 17 at both ends of the spider-frame l), impart a steady continuously-rotating motion to the same, so that the coloring-rollers are evenly moved over the printing-blocks as they are presented successively to the rollers, the intermittently rotary motion of the spiderframe D being so timed that one of the print ing-blocks faces one of the coloring-rollers as they are moved up toward the former by the rotation of the spit'ler frame.

The intermittent rotary motion is imparted the printing-roller ll from the main shaft S by a crank-disk (Z at one end of the same, which disltis connected byapivot-rod d with an oscillating arm (Z that engages by a pawl (1 a ratchet-wheel (l, the shaft of which turns in bearings of the frame A. The arm (1 turns loosely on the shaft of the ratchetwheel (1, so as to follow freely the motion of the disk (I. To the ratchet-wheel (Z is attached a gear-wheel (7 which meshes with a pinion d. A bevel-wheel (l on the shaft of the pinion d meshes with abevel-whecl (Z on the shaft; of an upright toothed cylinder (1", which meshes with teeth formed at the end of the printing-roller ll, as shown in Fig. 2. When the roller ll is raised by its eccentrics, it simultaneously turned by the transmitting mechanism described without passing out of mesh with the toothed cylinder (1, so that another printing-block is brought in contact with a coloring-roller. -ly the downward motion of the printing-rollerone of the printingbloelts is brought in contact with the cloth on the printingbed, so that the color on the same is deposited on the cloth to be printed. It is customary to use seven blocks for printing, while the eighth block, the so called linishing-block or masher, is not supplied with color, as it serves to mingle or blend those printed on the cloth. The fountain of that coloring-roller which passes over the finishingblock is therefore notsupplied with color, so as to impart no color tothe same. The sameobjcet may also be reached by constructing the spider-frame l) with as many rollers as there are blocks on the printingroller and providinga blind or false roller for the finishing-block. The printing action takes place quickly by the vertically-reciprocating motion imparted to the printing-rollerat the ti me when a printing-block is vertically above the printing-bed E. The color-fountains are moved out of the way by the ledges on the printing-blocks, which ledges press against the lugs of the fountains, so that the rollers can pass over the surfaces of the printing-blocks. \Vhen all the blocks have been printed and the finishing-block or masher has blended the colors on the printed section of the cloth, itis neces sary to feed the cloth forward, so as to expose the next adjacent part of the cloth to the blocks of the printing-roller. F01 this purpose a feed mechanism is arranged by which the cloth is intermittently moved forward over the printing-bed. The feed mechanism receives its motion from the driving-shaft S by means of eccentrics t and long rods t, having hook-shaped lower ends, which rods act in the nature of pawls on ratchet-wheels i if, that are arranged at the lower part and at diagonally-opposite ends of the supporting-frame A. The ratchet-wheels t 21 mesh by suitable gear-wheels a u with a shaft l5.

at one end of the supporting-frame A, said shaft carrying fixed pulleys F. Theratchetwheel 15 has as many teeth as there are printin g-blocks and is larger than the ratchetwheel i and placed loosely on the shaft of the latter, so as to be carried along by the pawl if over the teeth of the tight ratchetwheel 25 when the printing-roller has completed its rotation. A deep notch of the loose ratchet-wheel t allows the pawl t to take hold of the tight ratchet-wheel t so as to turn the shaftF on its axis and move thereby a sliding frame G and the cloth clamped thereto in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 3. The sliding frame G is connected by cords g with the pulleys F on the shaft F and with pulleys F on the shaft of the cloth-roller F at the opposite end of the machine. The cloth-roller F is loose on its shaft, so as to turn when the sliding frame G is moved for feeding the next section of the cloth onto the printing-bed E. The transmission of the motion from the ratchet-wheels t t to the shaft F must be so timed and calculated that the sliding frame G is moved forward at the proper time and for the required distance, so that a new section of the cloth is placed over the printing-bed into position for the action of the printing-blocks of the roller 13. The pawl t and ratchet-wheels t t at the opposite end of the supporting-frame A serve to impart motion to the pulleys F on the shaft of the cloth-roller F so as to bring the sliding frame G back into its former position as soon as the forward feeding of the cloth is accomplished. The cloth is pressed on the sliding frame G as well as on the printing-bed E by clamps o e, which hold the cloth in position thereon. The clamps v o are operated by means of cams H and H, which are applied to longitudinal shafts a, that are supported in side bearings of the supporting-frame A, parallel to the longitudinal axis of the same. The cams H and H act alternately on the outer ends of the fulcrumed levers of the clamps o-and 7;, so as to clamp the cloth alternately to the sliding frame G and the printin g-bed Ethat is to say, to the sliding frame when the same is moved forward and to the printing-bed after the new section of the cloth is in position thereon. Motion is imparted to the cams H H by means of ratchet-wheels n and 10 which are actuated by pawls 1L operated by arms 11. on the shaft 19* of the printing-roller B, the motion of the ratchet-wheels a its being transmitted by cog-wheels w" it to the shafts co and the eccentrics II II. The loose ratchet-wheels a however, have instead of one deep notch two deep notches, so that when the pawlsit enter into the first notch the cams H, which are slightly greater in length than the printing-block, raises the outer ends of the clamp-levers and press the clamps o tightly on the cloth, so as to carry the same forward as soon as the last block is lifted from the cloth. The pawls n then take hold of the next notch, which turns the short cams II and presses thereby the clamps c 011 the cloth, so as to secure it in position on the printing bed.

Simultaneously the longer cams II are released from the levers of the clamps '0, so as to permit the sliding back of the frame G into its former position below the cloth to be printed. By the successive printing of the colors on the cloth-section located on the printing-bed E this section is quickly and accurately printed in the different colors required. As soon as all the printing-blocks and the finishing-block have done their work, the forward feeding of the cloth takes place, so that the next adjacent section of cloth is brought below the printingroller, which is then printed in the manner described, and so on until the whole piece is finished.

The machine is also applicable for printing other fabrics, as I do not desire to confine myself to oil-cloth exclusively. I

In this manner the printing of the patterns on the cloth is produced by power in a quick, uniform, and economical manner, so that the oil-cloth can be manufactured at greatly-reduced price. Printing-blocks with any suitable pattern may be placed on the roller, as the exchanging of the same is readily accomplished by removing them sidewise from the sides of the printing-roller and sliding new blocks into position on the same.

I do not claim in this application a spiderframe with its coloring-rollers and fountains, nor the printing-roller and the mechanism by which vertically-reciprocating motion is imparted to the same. Neither do I claim the device forfeeding the cloth and clamping the same alternately to the sliding frame and the printing-bed, as these features are well known and described in prior patents.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination, with a spider-frame having radial arms slotted at their outer ends, coloringrollers supported in said slotted arms, and color-fountains suspended from the shafts of the coloring-rollers, of an intermittently-rotating and vertically-reciprocating printing-roller having a number of printing-blocks, and transmitting gear-wheels by which acontinuous rotary motion is imparted from the driving-shaft to the spider-frame, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of a printing-roller having printing-blocks applied to its sides, said printing-blocks being provided withracks and ledges at its ends, a spider-frame having slotted arms, transmitting gear-wheels for imparting a continuous rotary motion to said spider-frame, coloring rollers supported in the slotted arms of the spider -frame, the shafts of said coloring-rollers being provided with pinions meshing with the racks of the printing-blocks, and color-fountains suspend- IIO ed from the shafts of the coloringrollers and myinvention I have signed my name in presprovided with lugs that move along the ledges once of two subscribing Witnesses. of the p1-inting-blooks, so that the coloringi'ollers can pass over the surface of thebloeks \VISNER ll. TOWNSEND. 5 and color the same while the fountains are \Vitnesses:

outof the way, substantially as set forth. PAUL GOEPEL,

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as MARTIN PETRY. 

